(a) In what four ways does a town differ from a village? (b) With examples, describe four functions which a village may perform for a town.

Answer Details

(a) Four ways in which a town differs from a village:

(A town also has a wider sphere of influence and a more complex social structure than a village.)

(b) Four functions a village may perform for a town (with examples):

• Supply of food: surrounding villages produce foodstuffs (yam, cassava, vegetables, livestock) that feed the town, for example villages around Ibadan feeding the city.
• Supply of raw materials: villages provide agricultural and forest raw materials (cotton, cocoa, timber) for the town's industries.
• Supply of labour: villagers migrate to work in the town's factories, markets and construction, providing much of the urban workforce.
• Provision of dormitory (residential) and recreational space: nearby villages serve as dormitory settlements where town workers live, and as places for weekend recreation and land for expansion; they also serve as a market for the town's manufactured goods.